Quantum oscillations without quantum coherence

Abstract

We study numerically the damping of quantum oscillations and the increase of entropy with time in model spin systems decohered by a spin bath. In some experimentally relevant cases, the oscillations of considerable amplitude can persist long after the entropy has saturated near its maximum, i.e. when the system has been decohered almost completely. Therefore, the pointer states of the system demonstrate non-trivial dynamics. The oscillations exhibit slow power-law decay, rather than exponential or Gaussian, and may be observable in experiments.

RevTeX, 4 PS figures